1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a portable debris remover for use in removing debris that is on a bottom surface under the liquid surface of a liquid in a structure configured to contain the liquid, including debris which collects on the bottom surface of spas, hot tubs, swimming pools or the like, by vacuuming the debris from the bottom surface into the remover and retaining the debris in the remover.
2. State of the Art
Devices to vacuum or otherwise remove debris from a pool, spa, hot tub or similar body or volume of water include vacuums, screens, filters, and pumps. See, e.g., U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,094,031 (Cellini); 3,820,182 (Vockroth); 4,584,733 (Tietge, et al.); 4,935,980 (Leginus); 5,095,571 (Sargent); 5,135,647 (Childers); 5,311,631 (Smith, Jr.); 5,384,928 (Khoury); and 5,122,285 (Tartal). Such devices typically focus on removing leaves, twigs, large insects, and similar materials, which, all together, can be characterized as large debris. Pools, spas, hot tubs and similar bodies of water or other liquids may collect fine sand, very small pieces of dirt or grit, tiny stones and similar materials which, all together, may be referred to as small debris. Small debris may be introduced in a variety of ways including, for example, on the feet of users, by being blown in by the wind, or by chemical formation with various chemicals in the liquid (e.g., chlorine in pool and spa water).
The small debris may collect on the bottom and may be seen. On occasion it may not be visually apparent or noticed in, for example, pools and spas, until a user is in the pool or similar body or volume of water and can feel it under the user's feet or with the hand. After the user is in the pool, spa, hot tub, or the like, use of known cleaning devices may be inconvenient, impractical or undesirable.
Spas and hot tubs may be made of different kinds of materials, including but not limited to, synthetic or plastic-like materials including fiberglass. Spas and hot tubs, like any other container for a liquid, are typically found with a bottom surface and one or more sitting surfaces. Some swimming pools including shallow pools may be similarly constructed. Some pools and some spas or hot tubs may have or include interior surfaces that may have been tiled. In effect, the surfaces oriented toward the water or the interior are finished in a variety of ways to be smooth, polished or glass like. Such surfaces could in some cases be scratched or etched by sand particles, small stones or the like, e.g., small debris. Although preferable to remove the small debris to avoid etching or scratching the interior surface and certainly to avoid the associated discomfort, removal is not easily effected because the user typically finds the material during use of the pool, spa, hot tub or the like. Existing tools do not easily lend themselves to removal and because hand held tools for cleaning an under water surface by a user in the pool are not known.
Of course to remove small debris from other liquids is typically desired in order to maintain quality or purity for example, oils, fruit juices, gasoline or the like may also be heavily filtered and yet collect small debris that can be seen or in some cases felt.
Devices using a bulb to in effect aspirate or pump to cause movement of water with entrained debris for cleaning are known. See, e.g., U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,956,507 (Hutchinson); 2,672,987 (Hutchinson); 3,158,104 (Hutchinson); 3,549,015 (Willinger); 1,480,562 (Mock).
A hand held device to easily remove small debris from bottom surfaces by a user manipulating the device with the user's hand holding the device under water is not known. A hand held device to remove small debris from other liquids like gasoline or the like is also not known.